Yeongyang-gun to conduct comprehensive survey of 38,000 farmland plots

Yeongyang-gun in North Gyeongsang Province announced Monday it will conduct a comprehensive survey of all farmland in the county through December — a six-month effort aimed at eliminating speculative land holdings and establishing a sound farmland-use order centered on actual cultivators.

The survey will run alongside the county's annual farmland-use inspection and cover 38,277 plots totaling 5,289 hectares acquired after the Farmland Act took effect in January 1996 — roughly 63 percent of all farmland in Yeongyang-gun.

A basic survey will focus on ownership, actual cultivators, current land use and whether fields lie fallow. A follow-up in-depth investigation will examine whether genuine farming operations are under way and look into violations such as unauthorized fallowing and illegal conversion of farmland use, with field inspections conducted in stages.

"Through this comprehensive farmland survey, we will do our utmost to uphold the principle that farmland belongs to those who till it, block speculative holdings, protect the rights of farmers, and improve farmland access for young and returning farmers," county chief Oh Do-chang said.